214 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
M. Wirt and wife, Alpha, Ill.; C. L. Watrous, Atlantic, la.; A. Willis, 
Ottawa, Kan.; Mark Welch. Painesville, O.; R. B. Watrous, Mil¬ 
waukee, Wis.; B. T. Weldy, Phoneton, O.; George Winter, LaSalle, 
Ill.; Eugene Willett, N. Collins, N. Y.; W. E. Wellington and wife, 
Toronto. 
C. L. Yates, Rochester, N. Y.; Peter Youngers, Geneva, Neb.; John 
A. Young, Greensboro, N. C. 
CALLED TO ORDER. 
Upon assembling in the convention hall at n o’clock 
President Theodore J. Smith greeted the members and called 
upon William C. Barry, Rochester, N. Y., as a representative 
of the eastern nurserymen, to welcome the members to an 
eastern city. Mr. Barry extended a hearty welcome and 
assured the members that the nurserymen of the East had en¬ 
deavored to care well for the nursery interests since the Asso¬ 
ciation met in the East seven years ago. He said the nursery 
interests of the East are more diversified than they were 
Nurserymen are branching into different lines of stock. Park 
and school grounds and city streets are being improved as 
never before. Mr. Barry closed with an invitation to visit the 
great nurseries of New York state, which extend from Buffalo 
to Albany. 
Ex-President A. L. Brooke, Topeka, Kan., called upon by 
President Smith to respond for the nurserymen of the West 
said that the western members were grateful for the kind re¬ 
ception. “We of the West,” said he, “always have our eyes 
open and looking eastward for information. We do not forget 
to look to New York, because we find that we can learn more 
from the State of New York than from any other portion of 
the globe. Also I can say that as horticulturists of the West 
we are improving every day. We plant largely. We have, we 
think, a great apple country. A ten or twenty acre orchard i s 
not in it. When they get to planting quarter sections in fruit 
some of us crawl up with 40 or 80 acres, so that when the big 
fellows attract the market, we get a little of it: We try to sup¬ 
ply the demand for 160-acre orchards. We have done so 
pretty well. Some stocks went to a poor market and I may 
say we do not need the ashes as much as they may in the 
East. 
“ Great strides have been made in horticulture since we met 
in the East seven years ago. In the next seven years we may 
have delegates from the Philippines.” 
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. 
President Smith delivered the following address : 
Gentlemen of the American Association of Nurserymen : 
I wish in opening to express my appreciation of your kindness in 
appointing me to preside over your deliberations at this meeting, and I 
hope to have your co operation in making this gathering a most 
pleasant and profitable one. 
During the past two years nurserymen have had a fair share of the 
prosperity that has covered the land, and we should meet here to throw 
aside worry and work, and devote ourselves to sociability and recrea. 
tion. In this connection I would suggest that this convention hold 
meetings in the mornings only, and that the balance of the time be 
given to social intercourse and to visiting the exposition ; and that if 
thought best and necessary, that the meetings should continue through 
three days. 
The value of this Association to its members, aside from its social 
features in bringing nurserymen together, must lie principally in its 
consideration of questions of a general character ; questions that affect 
the whole body of nurserymen throughout the United States. 
We have committees appointed each year on such important subjects 
as the tariff, legislation and transportation. If the convention has any 
well-formed ideas as to what action should be taken by any of these 
committees during the next year, the subjects should be given full dis¬ 
cussion, and the committees instructed as to what action should be 
taken. But, if not so instructed, the committees must be expected to 
use their discretion in dealing with subjects as they come up, and these 
committees must be given the support of the Association in their 
efforts. Much good has been done by the committees mentioned in 
years past, and there is no doubt that much will be required of 
them in the near future. 
On the tariff.—There are many nurserymen to-day who complain 
about the duty imposed on nursery stock, and think it money spent 
unnecessarily. We know, however, that it has greatly stimulated the 
growing of apple and evergreen seedlings in this country, and has 
been the means of our competing successfully with foreign cheap 
labor in the growing of roses and ornamental shrubbery. There is also 
little doubt that the tariff has been one of the causes for the seem 
ing shortage of fruit tree stocks in France for the past two seasons, a s 
it caused a conservative planting of seed. I say “seeming shortage’, 
because there have been enough stocks to supply actual requirements > 
and this apparent shortage is the only thing that has saved us from a 
great over-planting, and its consequent result. There is a strong im_ 
pression among many who know, that changes will be made in a gen¬ 
eral reduction of our tariff within the next two years, and if true, we 
should have an impartial committee with an eye single to the general 
interests of all, ready to meet the issue when the time arrives. 
On transportation.—The great changes that are taking place in rail¬ 
road combinations may require the strongest kind of work by our com¬ 
mittee, and the co-operation of the whole body of nurserymen as well. 
On legislation.—This committee has had more on its hands the past 
two years than any other, on account of the National Bill presented to 
Congress, and also in heading off adverse legislation. The Association 
should acknowledge gratefully the efforts made and the expense of 
time and money spent by this committee, and although the Federal 
Bill has yet failed of passage, still, as the report of the committee will 
show, a bill was killed which would have been extremely harmful to 
nursery interests. 
We are now beginning to hear some nurserymen say that too much 
stock is being planted, and that we are very soon to suffer again from 
a great over-production, and its consequent evils. There is certainly 
need of some conservatism at this time in the matter of plantings, but 
I do not believe we have far over-stepped the mark as yet, when we 
realize the general prosperity which is now embracing our population 
of seventy-six millions—a population which has increased one-fifth in 
ten years, and added to this the great export trade in fruits, both fresh 
and canned, which is only now in its infancy. Scientific orcharding 
also is making fruit growing more profitable, and increasing the de¬ 
mand for trees. 
In this connection also I should like to refer to the efforts being made 
by some nurserymen to discourage selling through agents, and to sell 
directly to the consumer. I say do all in our power to aid the tree 
agent, and make his vocation as lucrative and popular as possible. He 
alone makes it possible to market our stock in large quantities, and I 
believe I am within the truth when I state that half the amount of 
stock could not be marketed in any other way without him. 
Nurserymen should certainly feel very hopeful over prospects of 
trade for this year. I know, that with every one employed at good 
wages, and money being plenty, the demand for nursery stock must 
be better than ever before. 
PRESENTATION OF GAVEL. 
John C. Chase, noting the fact that there has been no Asso¬ 
ciation gavel, presented one to the Association in the following 
speech : 
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen :—The tradilionsof a fraternity 
which represents an avocation second only in point of age to the agri¬ 
culturist and nurseryman tell us that the gavel is an emblem of author, 
ity and should be in the hands of all who are called upon to preside 
over deliberative assemblies. That this Association has successfully 
rounded out a quarter century of existence unprovided with such an 
implement is a tribute to the intelligence of its members and their har¬ 
monious relations as well as the tact of its presiding officers. 
It is naturally appropriate that a worker in wood should notice the 
deficiency and take steps to remedy it, and it affords me great pleasure 
to present this gavel to the Association and ask its acceptance. I re- 
